Significant Sporting Events on September 9th Throughout History

September 9th has seen a variety of noteworthy sporting events throughout the years, showcasing incredible athletic achievements and memorable moments. On this day in 1909, heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson retained his title after a no decision fight against Al Kaufman at Coffroth’s Arena in San Francisco, California.

In the realm of tennis, the year 1940 marked a significant victory for Donald McNeil as he triumphed over Bobby Riggs in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association title, despite losing the first two sets. Concurrently, Alice Marble claimed her third consecutive title by defeating Helen Jacobs.

Fast forward to 1965, baseball fans witnessed Sandy Koufax throwing his fourth career no-hitter, achieving a perfect game in a 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs. This accomplishment solidified Koufax’s status as one of the greatest pitchers in the game’s history.

Another historic milestone occurred in 1968 when Arthur Ashe became the first African-American male to win a Grand Slam tournament by defeating Tom Okker in the U.S. Open final, with a tense scoreline of 14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

In more recent years, September 9th continued to be a day of significance in sporting history. In 2012, Serena Williams staged an impressive comeback to defeat Victoria Azarenka, ultimately securing her fourth U.S. Open championship. This victory added to her remarkable collection of Grand Slam titles.

As recently as 2021, Tom Brady made NFL history by becoming the first player to start 300 regular season games, leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a narrow victory over the Dallas Cowboys on the opening day of the season.